Amritsar, January 4
Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, is emerging as the new centre of Akali politics even as the various Panthic leaders from India have been vying to gain maximum political mileage by visiting this place.

Close on the heels of taking Golden Palanquin from New Delhi to Nankana Sahib by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, now Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) president, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, has decided to take a jatha of 501 Sikhs to mark the 85th anniversary of “Saka Nankana Sahib” (massacre of Nankana Sahib) with a view to launching the “oust Badal campaign”. Earlier, the centre of politics was Amritsar and all morchas used to be launched from here only.

Talking to TNS, Mr Chandumajra said his Akali Dal had given a call to all “Panthic forces” to join hands to launch the proposed movement to restore “Maryada” (Sikh code of conduct) in the Sikh institutions. He alleged that Mr Badal was responsible for the denigration of Sikh institutions, including Akal Takht, who used them for his vested interests.

Mr Chandumajra claimed that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) would fully cooperate in organising the function in memory of the martyrs who were gunned down by Mahant Narainu. He said the “Saka Nankana Sahib” was the beginning of the Sikh Gurdwara Movement which culminated in the formation of the SGPC and Shiromani Akali Dal. He said this was the reason that his faction had decided to launch another gurdwara reform movement.

Mr Chandumajra alleged that Mr Badal had converted the SAD into a “family affair”, thereby causing a lot of resentment among the senior leaders. He alleged that senior posts in the SAD were given to relatives of Mr Badal by ignoring senior Panthic leaders who had made sacrifices for the sake of the party. He said the activists of his party would take pledge to oust Mr Badal from politics and religious turf.

Bathinda, January 4
Image of Panthic organisations has been damaged under Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), president Parkash Singh Badal who had turned the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Akal Takht into his party’s “allied outfits”, alleged SAD (Longowal) president Prem Singh Chandumajra at a press conference here today.

He alleged that the SAD and the Congress had failed to protect the state’s interests and had instead served only self-interest. He said Punjab once was leading on all fronts, but today it was fifth in terms of per capita income, 11th in health sector and ninth in education. He said the plight of Dalits and farmers was pathetic, while water and power scenario was also gloomy. He said in this situation a third front was the need of the hour and people should vote for it if they wished clean and transparent governance. He charged the SAD and the Congress with turning politics into business. He said both these parties had the illusion that people had no option but to vote for one of them.

Mr Chandumajra said he would visit Nankana Sahib as a part of 500-Sikh jatha on February 21 and pledge to free Sikh Panth from opportunistic people.

He flayed demolitions of Sikh property in Uttaranchal and blamed Mr Badal for it. He alleged that the former Chief Minister had softened his stand on the issue of Udham Singh Nagar under pressure from the BJP. He condemned SGPC chief Avtar Singh’s step of asking Spokesman staffer to leave his press conference stating that it was against the spirit of free press.

Chandigarh, January 4
The Punjab Government has requested the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to flag off the inaugural run of the bus from Amritsar to Lahore on any day between January 20 and 27.

Official sources said the state government had told the Prime Minister’s Office that it would fix the day for the ceremony according to the convenience of Dr Manmohan Singh. The trial run for the bus service has already been held.

The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, is keen that the Prime Minister, who has played a crucial role in getting the proposal regarding the bus service between the two countries cleared, should perform the flagging-off ceremony himself. The state government also wants to organise a public meeting for the Prime Minister on this occasion.

Obviously, the government wants to get the maximum publicity for the starting of this bus service. The public meeting is part of the plan to get publicity. Moreover, as the current year is an election year, the addressing of the public meeting by the Prime Minister can be helpful to the state government for making some important announcements with regard to development projects in the state.

The state government would like the Prime Minister to travel in the bus from Amritsar to the Wagah border and address the public meeting near there.

The sources said the bus to Nankana Sahib from Amritsar would start plying between February 20 and 27. The necessary formalities in this regard were being completed.

Capt Amarinder Singh is expected to visit Pakistan in the third week of February in connection with the Indo-Pak Punjab Games to be held in Lahore. There are reports that he may travel to Pakistan in the inaugural run of the bus between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib. This will give him an opportunity to flaunt his achievement in the run-up to the elections.

Amritsar, January 4
Even as the record shows that a consignment of cement was dispatched in the name of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for at Katarsinghwala Gurdwara (Bathinda), the Shiromani Committee authorities have ordered a probe into the ‘cement scam’, 
here today.

The Invoice-cum-delivery challan of Birla Plus Cement, Bathinda branch points out that 560 bags of cement were booked in the name of ‘SGPC, Teja Singh Samundari Hall, Amritsar’ with a stamp of ‘Non Trade Bag’. The Gurdwara management was surprised to know that the cement, dispatched for its expansion while no construction work was in progress in the Sikh shrine.

The owner of the Nursing College, near Katarsinghwala, Dr G.S. Nagpal told The Tribune that two of his employees had refused to accept the consignment when they came to know after unloading of 20 bags that the material (cement) did not match the order, placed by them. On this all the bags were put back into the same truck, he said. He further claimed that they had not placed any order with Birla Plus.

Meanwhile, an SGPC contractor, Mr Harpreet Singh Bhinder, who visited the site told The Tribune that the consignment was not meant for any gurdwara. Mr Manjit Singh, an Executive Engineer and Mr Dalmegh Singh, SGPC Secretary, said that the preliminary reports pointed out that some ‘unscrupulous’ person had used the name of Shiromani Committee to get the cement at cheaper rates. While the cement given to charitable organisations costs Rs 140, the actual rate is Rs 157. The SGPC Secretary claimed that the Shiromani Committee invariably gives advance drafts for supplying cement to cement companies and never used Birla Plus cement. He claimed that the preliminary reports point out that somebody had, fraudulently, used the name of the SGPC for personal benefit. The Shiromani Committee was contemplating strict action against those involved to ‘defame’ the Shiromani Committee.

However, the SGPC authorities allege that the Birla Plus Cement was being used by certain Babas of ‘Kar Seva Wale’.

Mehangrowal, January 4
In another ‘‘cover up’’ operation the forest department authorities are making fresh plantations in the Mehangrowal forest range of the Hoshiarpur division. The plantations are being made using migrant labourers rather than temporary employees of the forest department.

Former Wildlife Wardens Mr Sukhdeep Bajwa and Mr Gunraj Singh have video recorded operation in which planting of saplings is being carried out in the Mehangrowal range on January 2, 2006. A copy of the video recording is available with The Tribune. The recording reveals that a large number of saplings have been brought from forest nurseries to the area brought under a Japanese-bank aided project and migrant labourers are busy planting saplings in the forest. The labourers, when asked about planting saplings, said they were carrying out the operation on the orders of the forest department authorities.

The former wildlife wardens have alleged that the planting operation being carried out in peak winter months pointed towards large scale bungling in the project in Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur districts. The authorities are now trying to ‘‘cover up’’ the scam by planting fresh saplings, they alleged.

A former forest department official, while speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it was futile to plant saplings in peak winter season as most of the saplings would not survive the intense cold weather. ‘‘The only justification to carry out plantations in this season is that the authorities concerned could be trying to increase the count in case an inquiry was carried out’’, he alleged. The expenditure on planting saplings cannot be justified in this season as per the norms and rules of the forest department, he said.

The DFO Hoshiarpur division, Mr R.R Kakkar, denied any knowledge about the fresh planting of saplings being carried out in the range. ‘‘Fresh plantations cannot be carried out in this season. I would look into the matter and take action against the officials involved in making planting saplings’’, he said.

However, Mr Sukhdeep Bajwa and Mr Gunraj said it was not possible that the lower staff of the department was carrying out the sapling plantation without the active connivance of higher officials. ‘‘The saplings were brought in tractor-trolleys from the nurseries. Then money was paid to hire labourers for planting saplings. The lower officials like forest guards neither have the authority nor the money to carry out such an operation’’, they said.

The Tribune had first reported the scam in the plantations carried under a Japanese-bank aided project in Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur forest divisions. The department has entrusted an inquiry into the plantations carried out in Gurdaspur division to the Chief Conservator Forests, Mr Kuldeep Singh. However, no inquiry has been ordered into the scam in Hoshiarpur division.

The former wildlife wardens have demanded that the department was planning to fell around 25,000 trees this year in Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts. This coupled with very little plantation work carried out in the past five to 10 years, could spell an environmental catastrophe in Kandi forests of Punjab. If the trend continues as it is there would be hardly any tree left in the forests of Punjab in the next 10 to 15 years.

Chandigarh, January 4
At a meeting with the Planning Commission, the Punjab Government will put up concrete suggestions before the commission to make some drastic changes with regard to the approval of Plan schemes and allocation of funds in this regard.

Though the exact date of the meeting has not been fixed, it will be held in the last week of January or the first week of February. The Planning Commission has intimated the Punjab Government that its turn could come any day to discuss and approve the Annual Plan for the next financial year and it should keep its proposals ready.

Punjab’s current financial year’s Annual Plan was pegged at Rs 3150 crore. However, for the next financial year, it is expected to be jacked up to Rs 4,000 crore in the light of enhanced capacity of the Punjab Government to raise resources. Sources said that the state government was feeling very comfortable as far as its financial position is concerned. “Our revenue deficit, which had once gone up to Rs 4000 crore a few years ago, had come down just to Rs 67 crore last month. One can imagine the turnaround in the fiscal position of the state government from it,” Mr Surinder Singla, Finance Minister, said.

Unprecedented collection of revenue from stamp duty and VAT had played a big role in filling the coffers of the state government. A straight increase of Rs 900 crore in the revenue is expected from the stamp duty by the end of current financial year and a Rs 1,000-crore increase in the revenue because of the enforcing of the VAT system.

A meeting of the Punjab Planning Board would be held on January 11 here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. The meeting would discuss the proposed Annual Plan.

The state government wants that the Planning Commission should weed out the schemes which had become redundant. For instance, the million wells scheme. Punjab, which has a well-established irrigation network of canals and water courses besides over 10 lakh tubewells does not need traditional wells. So, Punjab does not need allocation of funds under this scheme. Actually, almost all farmers, who three decades ago used to irrigate their fields from drawing water from wells, have filled up those wells.

Likewise, the mid-day meal scheme which had been launched to encourage access of students to schools is of no use in Punjab. Access to schools in Punjab is not a problem. Punjab’s problem is a quality education. “Funds should be given to the state under the Plan to improve the quality of education by starting new training programmes for teachers, setting up modern laboratories in schools and improving infrastructure,” an officer said.

Giving another instance, he said, that the Union Government had allocated funds for setting up road network to various states under the Bharat Nirman scheme. However, Punjab has already best road network in rural and urban areas. So, the Union Government should give liberty to Punjab to allocate those funds elsewhere to start development projects.

Fatehgarh Sahib, January 4
A countrywide drive has been launched to recruit youths as members of Youth Congress so that the youth of the nation know about the sacrifices made by the party to get freedom as well as to acquaint them with public-oriented policies and programmes of the party.

These Youth Congress leaders would be given training and assigned the task of apprising the people at grassroot level of the various schemes initiated by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, for the welfare of different sections of society and Ms Sonia Gandhi’s message of love, peace, development and communal harmony. This was stated by Mr Ashok Tanwar, president, All-India Youth Congress, while talking to mediapersons here today.

He said that dedicated and sincere youths having clean image would be given Congress tickets in all those states, where elections are due. The Youth Congress would be given due share while allotting the party tickets and decision by AICC has already been taken.

He stated that Mr Amla would remain the state president of Punjab Youth Congress and there is no second thought about it. Efforts are being made to strengthen the organisations. More and more youths impressed from the ideology of Ms Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh are joining Youth Congress.

He said that units of Youth Congress would be set up at village-level and it would be made a cadre-based organisation. Punjab Youth Congress would work in complete co-ordination with PPCC president Samsher Singh Dullo and the good works of Capt Amarinder Singh Government would be highlighted by the youths by organising functions.

Mr Ravinder Singh Sonda, president, District Youth Congress, Mr Vaneet Bittu, president, Block Youth Congress, Mandi Gobindgarh, along with their hundreds of workers accorded a warm reception to AIYC president and raised slogans in his and party’s favour.

Gurdaspur January 4
The Irrigation Minister, Punjab, Mr Lal Singh, today inaugurated the 6.8 km Gadhrian canal, in the Kanuwan area of the district. He was accompanied by the local MLA and PWD Minister, Punjab, Mr Pratap Singh Bajwa.

Mr Bajwa, while talking to newsmen said the canal was a long-standing demand of the area. The area in which the canal had been dug was no water logged. In monsoon the area got inundated with water as there was no outlet.

Now the government has constructed the drain that would prove as an outlet for waste water in the area.

About 700-acre land, would be relieved of water logging after the construction of the canal.

The government has spent Rs 1.34 crore on the construction of the canal, he said.

Mr Lal Singh, while responding to the queries from newsmen said, work on the Shahpur Kandi project would start soon.

The government intended to finish the work on the project in the next 2 years.

He also indicated the work of the project would likely be handed over to a private firm.

Already the government had got the detailed project report (DPR) on Shahpur Kandi prepared from the NHPC.

The NHPC has pegged the construction cost of the project at Rs 2,600 crores.

The engineers posted at the Ranjit Sagar Dam had, however, pegged the cost at Rs 1,400 that included Rs 250-crore infrastructure already available with them.

The minister also ruled out the possibility of privatisation of the PSEB. He said the unbundling and privatisation of the electricity boards was the policy of the previous NDA government.

The power board in Punjab was doing well financially and there was no need to privatise it.

Mr Lal Singh announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for the development of Kanuwan constituency.

Mr Bajwa while speaking on the occasion said, that till in the past four years the present government had spent Rs 685 crore on development of Gurdaspur district.

The border district had received liberal grants from the present government where as it was ignored by the previous government, he said.

Sangrur, January 4
The Punjab State Warehouse Workers Union (AICCTU) at its state-level meeting here today decided to organise a rally on January 11 here in protest against the removal of 16 daily-wage workers of the Warehouse Centre II, Sunam, and non-payment of wages to the removed workers for four months.

On the second day of the relay fast in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) here today, Mr Jarnail Singh Bakhshiwala, Mr Jagsir Singh Maur and Mr Pala Singh Sunam observed fast in support of their demands.

They were addressed among others by Mr Sat Pal Behniwal, a state-committee member of the All-India Students Association; Mr Harbhagwan Bhikhi, state secretary of the All-India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) and Mr Raghbir Singh Jawandha, state president of the Punjab State Warehouse Workers Union (AICCTU).

The leaders condemned the Amarinder Singh government for its alleged “anti-worker” policies. They also criticised the Warehouse Corporation authorities and the district administration for not allegedly providing justice to them.

They warned the government that if their demands, including reinstatement of 16 workers, who had reportedly been working in the godowns of the Warehouse for the past several years, and payment of wages to the removed workers for four months, were not met soon, they would intensify their agitation in the days to come.

Bathinda, January 4
Reacting to news report of Rs 700-crore rice scam carried in The Tribune yesterday, ex-MLA Hardev Singh Arshi today demanded immediate dismissal and initiation of criminal proceedings against the then FCI, SRM, who is an IAS officer of Punjab cadre.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Arshi said the then SRM had already been removed from his post, which held him prima facie responsible for the scam. He said responsibility should be fixed and strict action should be taken against each and every official involved in the scam. He said top officials often went scot-free in scams.

Expressing surprise on inaction of the Income Tax Department, he said the department should conduct raids on 164 officials pinned in the scam and check their legal and illegal properties. He said it could lead to recovery of at least a part of the money.

Raising doubt on the role of the CMO, the former MLA said a businessman-turned-politician, who was named in media reports when the supply of substandard rice to other states came to light in 2004 no action was taken against him. He said the politician also had close links with then FCI, SRM, apart from some other IAS officials. Mr Arshi said action against guilty officials should be expedited.

Nawanshahr, January 4
As many as 28 community development projects will be under taken in 24 villages of the district by releasing matching grants to the NRI-sponsored development projects by the state government.

Under the new scheme, the state government has transferred CD-2.35 plan from the Rural Development Department to the NRI Affairs Department.

The government has constituted a high-level committee called the Punjab NRI Committee for Development (PUNRICD) to control funds allocated for the Budget under the scheme.

The Department of NRI Affairs has received various development proposals through Deputy Commissioners for release of matching grants to the NRI-sponsored projects on a 50:50 basis. The proposals have been approved by the state government.

While the Deputy Commissioner will be the Chairman, the vice-chairmen of different committees will be the donor NRI or his/her representative. Other members of the development committees are DDPO, sarpanches and a panch of the villages concerned.

Bhakna (Amritsar), January 4
Villagers today gathered in this tiny border hamlet to celebrate the birth anniversary of Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, a freedom fighter and founder of pre-independence ‘Gaddar Party’. The village shot into limelight due to this brave person and his movement directed to attaining freedom.

CPI leadership, including Mr Jagroop Singh, Punjab Secretary CPI, besides Mr Rajeshwar Singh, trustee Desh Bhagat Yadgari committee, Amarjit Asal (district CPI secretary) addressed the gathering, criticising populist and US-backed policies that were eating into the vitals of agriculture, public sector enterprises and leading to increasing crime.

Nearly 33 veterans of the party including two freedom fighters from pre-independence Kirti party Mr Karam Singh (80) and Mr Dhain Singh Kasel (81) apart from village children excelling in varied fields, were honoured on the occasion that marked the 80th year of the CPI, formed in 1925.

Mr Karam said he saluted women who formed the freedom struggle “It is women who actually deserved awards!

For their sacrifices for keeping home fire burning, raising children, caring for elders, single-handedly. Without their support freedom would have been impossible”, he added.

Mr Kashmir Singh, general secretary, Hindustan Samaj, Moscow a communist, who migrated to Russia in 1975 was here with his Russian wife Olga Singh, son Victor Singh and daughter Rashmi Singh. “This is my annual pilgrimage for past 30 years!

This time I have come with my family”, he added. Russian women were dressed in Indian clothes, much to the amazement of villagers that gave them curious looks! Mr Kashmir’s father Mr Darshan Singh was one of those who were given awards.

The function was held in Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna Senior Secondary school donated by the freedom fighter next to his ‘samadh’ where tributes were paid by panchayat and villagers. Leaders and villagers voiced concern over the neglect of this border village roads of which were pot-holed and muddy.

They demanded a museum a statue of the Baba at Khasa crossing, a hospital, girls college/school, employment to youth and supply of electricity.

Malerkotla, January 4
The election for the post of president of the local municipal council (MC) was held here today under the supervision of the District and Sessions Judge, Mr K.K. Garg. The municipal councillors cast their votes through secret ballot.

The ruling party fielded Mr Mohd Ishaq Saka for the post of president. His name was proposed by Yaseen Khalid, a local municipal councillor, while the name of Mohd Jahid was proposed by Mohd Sardar Dara from the opposite side.

Ms Bholi Ismail, former president of the local MC, was absent during the polling. A total of 27 votes were polled, including the vote of local MLA Razia Sultana. The ruling group claimed the support of 20 members.

Patiala, January 4
Disappointment writ large on the faces of a section of shopkeepers, running the business of the sale and purchase of old tractors and spare parts in the local kabari market on the Bahera road after they were not allotted shops in Transport Nagar. They have been asked by the authorities concerned to shift from their present places.

The shopkeepers, who have been running their business for two or three decades, have approached the Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Ms Preneet Kaur, MP, the Governor and the Chairman, Punjab State Human Rights Commission for getting alternative places to run their business before their existing business places are razed.

The shopkeepers alleged that the authorities concerned had allotted shops in Transport Nagar, being developed by the Improvement Trust, to around 185 shopkeepers of the market while there were around 300 applicants for these shops. The market is being shifted to Transport Nagar to decongest certain pockets of the city and give it a facelift.

The deadline for shifting the Market, the oldest in the country, was fixed for December 31. However, as the trust authorities have not been able to develop the nagar fully, shopkeepers of the market are running their business from their existing places.

They alleged that a second survey, which was conducted by the district administration to identify genuine shopkeepers of the Market, who had not been allotted shops in Transport Nagar, was a mere formality.

The local SDM, who carried out the second survey, said she went to the market on the direction of the Deputy Commissioner to look into that why certain shopkeepers were left out in the allotment process.

She said as per her information all shopkeepers of the market would get shops in the next allotment. It was also being verified that whether any shopkeeper had managed to get two shops allotted to him, she added.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved shopkeepers said they would launch an agitation after two days, if their existing shops were demolished without allotting them new ones in Transport Nagar.

Kharar, January 4
Encroachments on various commercial areas were removed by the Municipal Council authorities here today.

The council employees, who were accompanied by the police, seized goods of some shopkeepers for violating norms.

Mr Charanjit Singh, president of the council said shopkeepers had raised temporary structures outside their shops for stocking goods. They had been warned many times against encroaching upon the area.

The shopkeepers had formed an association and approached him to get some time for removing the encroachments one month ago. But, even after one month they had failed to vacate the area.

He said a number of shopkeepers removed the encroachments on their own.

The encroachments on the Landran road, Badala road, Jandpur Jhugian road, main bazar and other areas were removed.

However, certain shopkeepers have alleged that the council staff was bias while removing encroachments. Mr Charanjit Singh said the allegation of the shopkeepers was baseless.

Docs, patwaris to be recruited
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab requires the services of 138 patwaris to cater to the needs of people. The district administration has only 32 patwaris on its rolls at present.

Keeping in view the shortage of patwaris in Fatehgarh Sahib and other parts of the state, the state government has permitted the authorities concerned to recruit 378 patwaris, a top officer said today. The recruitment of 1374 doctors and other officials in the Health Department had also been cleared.

He said the Council of Ministers would decide whether 12,000 teachers to be recruited in Punjab would be employed on contract or a regular basis.

Amritsar January 4
Authorities in the high security Central Jail here have claimed to have foiled an escape plan drafted by some hardcore criminals lodged in the jail.

Mr Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, the newly appointed SSP-cum-Jail Superintendent, today confirmed that he was informed by the SSP, Mr R.P.S Brar, about receiving written information that a number of hardcore criminals lodged in the jail were planning to escape.

Meanwhile, there were reports that 12 jail inmates had gone on an indefinite fast. But Mr Kunwar scoffed at the rumours and denied that Kulwant Kanta, main accused in the sensational abduction case of teenaged son of leading rice exporter Parbir Singh, had led the hunger strike by jail inmates. He said all jail inmates had taken their food and had been sent back to their barracks as usual.

He said some of the inmates had been segregated from ordinary criminals and this had helped in thwarting a jailbreak plan. In another move he had stepped up vigil inside and outside the jail premises and had kept a close watch on the activities of prisoners.

The SSP said the strict vigilance paid off two days ago when the jail staff managed to seize liquor being brought into the jail in a pack of edible oil from another hardcore criminal and a former cop Jagtar Boxer.

He said he would take action against anyone breaking rules and regulations of the jail.

Bathinda, January 4
The police claims to have busted a gang of bookies with the arrest of six of its members, while the gang leader and his accomplices have absconded.

Addressing a press conference here today, the DIG, Bathinda range, Mr P.S. Sarao, said that the police got a tip-off that nine persons were running their betting operation from a rented accommodation at Guru Gobind Singh Nagar. They were duping people of their hard-earned money by persuading them to bet on cricket matches. They were not making payment to those who were winning bets. The police came to know that they had received bets on their mobile phones for a Sri Lanka-New Zealand one day international held on January 3 and were compiling details of the money collected.

A police team headed by SI Amritpal raided their hideout and arrested six persons involved in the betting.

They have been identified a Pawnesh Kumar, Deepak Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Yogesh Kumar, Lekh Raj and Hardev Singh.

The police has also recovered equipment used for tapping conversation on mobile phones, a tape recorder, nine mobile phones, a television set, 16 audio cassettes, Rs 43,000 by cash and booking record of cricket matches.

A case has been registered under Section 420 of the IPC and Section 13A of the Gambling Act.

Those who escaped the police net are Vishnu, Anil Kumar and Bablu.

The DIG said the gang was operating in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Chandigarh. He said the gang had got the equipment to record telephonic conversations prepared from Abohar in Rs 6,000. He said the police would scrutinise mobile phone records of the gang members to trace out their accomplices.

He said the gang had 40-50 members and police parties had been despatched to nab them and their leader Om Patheja who was in Chandigarh.

Amritsar, January 4
At least 15 persons, including four policemen and excise officials, were injured in a clash between residents of Lidhar village near Rayya and the raiding excise party, about 40 km from here today.

The trouble started when the Excise Department, accompanied by a large posse of police and wine contractors, conducted a surprise raid on the bootleggers in the village of Congress MLA Jasbir Singh Dimpa .

Ms Vibhu Raj, district police chief, Majitha, said the police was looking into the matter.

One Mr Nirmaljit Singh Randhawa alleged that many drums of illicit liquor were destroyed on the spot . He alleged that the bootleggers started pelting stones on the raiding party following the raid.

Amritsar, January 4
A meeting of heads of aided, recognised and affiliated schools today criticised the Punjab Government Education Department policy of shifting students of one school to another in the annual examination of board classes this year.

The Association of Aided and Recognised Schools led by Mr J.P. Shoor, president, condemned the policy and said it would cause great inconvenience to the parents and students, especially the girl students, besides putting a question mark on the integrity and honesty of urban students.

Mr Shoor said at the time of admission to open schools it is promised that centres for board examinations would be provided in the same school.

He said the strength and availability of infrastructure varied from school to school.